Buzz Aldrin's and Wendell Minor's Presentation and autographing session on June 3, 2013 in Washington, CT

The Big Banquet: Memories from Caldecott’s Biggest Night in the Spring 2013 issue of Children & Libraries

I had forgotten that I offered a little vignette about the 1995 Newbery Caldecott Banquet for Children & Libraries, probably because it was the year I felt sure I wouldn't be able to get through the American Library Association Conference without a fatality. That was the year the late Jacob Lawrence came out with a book published by HarperCollins (GREAT MIGRATION) -- a lovely man and an amazing painter who was, by then, a little unsteady on his feet. An editor I asked to escort him to his program fell on the escalator on the way, and Mr. Lawrence's wife managed to find and get the editor to the first aid station. That was also the year Sharon Creech's mother came to ALA, but you'll read about that in the Children & Libraries article below. I hope to see the other contributors to the article at the Newbery Caldecott Banquet in Chicago next month, where old friends and new memories will converge once more.

A tribute to Sini, who was immortalized in Johanna Reiss’s THE UPSTAIRS ROOM

Sini and Johanna, circa 2006-2007

For over two years during World War II, ten year old Annie de Leeuw (aka Johanna Reiss) and her sister, Sini, hid in a cramped upstairs room in the house of a kind Gentile family in their native Holland to avoid being captured by the Nazis. Johanna immortalized their story in the 1973 Newbery Honor Book, THE UPSTAIRS ROOM, which is still taught in schools today.

Today, we pay tribute to Johanna's sister, Sini, who passed away on May 15, 2013. Recently, Johanna, her children and their spouses as well as her grandchildren celebrated Sini's life with a meal that was one Sini used to fix, and they raised a glass to toast the sister with whom Johanna remained very close, despite the ocean that so frequently separated them.

Please join me in a virtual toast to Sini and the bond with her sister that transcended war, distance, time and even death itself, for as Johanna recently told me, "It hurts, but I'm a survivor and I’ll move on, with her always part of me."

The house Johanna and Sini hid in to escape the Nazis

Langston Terrace Memories: Eloise Greenfield talks about her experiences at the 75th anniversary celebration earlier this month

As we mentioned when we blogged about it on 4/22/13, Eloise Greenfield spoke at the Langston Terrace Project in Washington, DC earlier this month. In 1938, the housing development began as Langston Terrace, then was placed under the auspices of the Dwelling Authority from 1940 until 1943, when it once again became just Langston Terrace and the word "Dwelling" was dropped from the title.

Ms. Greenfield was kind enough to write about her experiences at the anniversary celebration:

Eloise Greenfield at Langston Terrace, May 4, 2013, photo by Steve Greenfield

Eloise Greenfield's speech, photo by Steve Greenfield

Eloise's father, Weston Little, Sr, took this photo in Langston Terrace in 1973 for the jacket of SISTER

LANGSTON TERRACE ANNIVERSARY

On May 4, I attended the seventy-fifth anniversary celebration of Langston Terrace, the Washington, DC, low-rent housing development where I grew up. I wrote about my childhood experiences there, in CHILDTIMES: A THREE-GENERATION MEMOIR, the book I coauthored with my mother, Lessie Jones Little.

Langston, as we called it, using the short form, was named in honor of John Mercer Langston, 19^th century African American congressman, lawyer and educator, and coincidentally, the great-uncle of Langston Hughes.

Designed by African American architects, Hilyard Robinson and Paul Williams, Langston consists of one irregular square block of houses and four-story apartments, surrounding a courtyard that rises above the level of the main street. The courtyard is the center to which much of the life of the development flows – outdoor programs, games, gatherings, etc. In 1987, Langston Terrace was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The celebration took place in the courtyard. Many past and present Langston residents attended. There were games, music, face-painting and much embracing and reminiscing. A new tree was planted as part of the ceremony. The speakers’ platform faced my house. Sitting there, I was a little emotional. So many wonderful memories.

I autographed books that had been purchased for the children by Sherrod CM Consulting, the company that sponsored the event. And then, the day was over. It had been another day to add to my memories of Langston.

The new tree, photo by Vedie Jones